Mask apparatus

ABSTRACT

The Invention is a mask. The mask comprises a mask body covering the head of a wearer and supported a perforated panel before the eyes of the wearer. The perforated panel features a multiplicity of small perforations cut, punched, burned or formed through the perforated panel through which the wearer may see.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The Invention relates to a mask worn by an individual to obscure the identity and appearance of the individual and to cause the individual to superficially resemble another person, such as a politician or an athlete.

2. Description of the Related Art

Masks are well known. Examples from the prior art include paper masks covering the entire head of the wearer and bearing indicia, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,000,242 to Manning issued Oct. 3, 1933, U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,796 to Ray issued Jun. 18, 1957, U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,710 to Swann issued Sep. 30, 1958, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,240 to Shapur issued Aug. 17, 1971.

Other examples from the prior art utilize woven fabric screens that obscure the eyes of the wearer, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,004 to Koester issued Jul. 31, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,604 to Geller issued Aug. 20, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,376 B2 to Cook issued Dec. 16, 2003.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,964,757 to Jarvis issued Dec. 20, 1960 teaches a paper mask worn over the face that features slits extending from one side of the mask to the other.

None of the prior art patents teaches a paper mask that covers the entire head of the wearer and that features a paper screen bearing indicia and having a multiplicity of small perforations through which the wearer may see. None of the prior art patents teach a woven fabric mask that covers the entire head of the wearer and that bears indicia visible to persons other than the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Invention is a mask to be worn by a person. The mask is formed of a single piece of paper that is folded and glued to form a paper bag. One side of the paper bag bears many small perforations forming a perforated panel. The number, size and location of the perforations forming the perforated panel are selected to allow a wearer to see through the perforated panel. The number, size and location of the perforations also are selected to allow the perforated panel to support printing, such as printing of the likeness of an athlete or politician. The size, number and location of the perforations are also selected to allow ventilation so that the wearer can breathe.

The perforated panel allows a person to see an object through the panel when the illumination of the object to be seen is brighter than the illumination of the surface of the perforated panel nearest to the person. When a person (the “wearer”) wears the mask of the Invention, the wearer's head is covered and the inside surface of the perforated panel is thereby darkened, enhancing the wearer's ability to see objects outside of the mask. The wearer's vision can be improved by further darkening the inside surface of the perforated panel or of the entire mask, as by imprinting an opaque, dark, flat color on the inside surface of the mask.

Conversely, a person outside the mask (also referred to herein as “a person other than the wearer) does not see clearly the darkened face of the wearer when the outside surface of the mask is illuminated. Instead, the person outside the mask sees the indicia printed on the perforated panel and on the mask body.

In a second embodiment, the Invention is a mask composed of a woven fabric. The woven fabric forms a bag completely covering the head of a wearer. The weave of the fabric is adequately loose to allow the wearer to see through the weave and to breathe. The weave is adequately dense so as to support printing, such as an image of an athlete or a politician. A person other than the wearer who observes the alternative embodiment mask in use observes the image of the athlete or politician and does not observe clearly the features of the wearer.

In a third embodiment, the perforated panel may be composed of a woven fabric that is glued or otherwise incorporated into a paper bag to form the mask of the Invention.

The indicia imprinted on the perforated panel may be any indicia that the wearer finds desirable. For example, and without limitation, the indicia may include a camouflage pattern for use by hunters, the image of a sports or political personality, or letters or numbers. The mask may be reversible and may bear different indicia on the front, back and each side.

Different masks may bear different indicia, such as different letters of the alphabet. Adjacent persons may wear masks bearing different indicia. Such persons may arrange themselves to spell out different messages using their masks, and may change the message by moving their masks to expose indicia appearing on different sides of the masks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mask of the Invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail view of the perforated panel.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mask of the Invention with indicia printed on the perforated panel and mask body.

FIG. 4 illustrates observation through the perforated panel.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a mask of the Invention ready for assembly.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of the perforated panel.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a detail view of the weave of the alternative embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front detail view of a perforated panel.

FIG. 10 is a front detail view of a perforated panel.

FIG. 11 is a front detail view of a perforated panel.

FIG. 12 is a front detail view of a perforated panel.

FIG. 13 is a front detail view of a perforated panel.

FIG. 14 is a front detail view of a perforated panel.

FIG. 15 is perspective view of an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of the mask prior to final assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

The mask 2 of the Invention is illustrated by FIG. 1. A mask body 4 is composed of paper and is shaped like a paper bag. The mask body 4 is adapted to cover the entire head of the wearer. A perforated panel 6 appears on the mask body 4. When the mask body 4 is in place and covering the head of the wearer, the perforated panel 6 is supported by the mask body 4 before the eyes 8 of the wearer as shown by FIG. 4. A perforated side panel 10 may be provided in the mask body 4 to provide peripheral vision to the wearer, to avoid a feeling of enclosure on the part of the wearer and to improve ventilation to the wearer. Cutouts 12 may be provided to allow the mask 2 of the Invention to better fit the shoulders of the wearer.

FIG. 2 is a magnified detail of an area of the perforated panel 6. The perforations 14 are cut, punched, burned or otherwise formed in the perforated panel 6. The perforated panel 6 may be separately formed from the mask body 4. Alternatively, the perforated panel 6 may be integral to the mask body 4. Each perforation 14 of the perforated panel 6 has a perforation area 16. Each of the perforations 14 may have a uniform perforation area 16. Alternatively, perforations 14 having different perforation areas 16 may appear on the perforated panel 6. The perforations 14 may be uniformly distributed within the perforated panel 6 or the perforated panel 6 may feature a varying density of perforations 14.

As illustrated by FIG. 2, and discussed in more detail with respect to FIGS. 9-14 below, best results are achieved with a multiplicity of small perforations 14. For perforations 14 having a large area 16, the wearer may experience the perforations 14 as individual holes rather than as a substantially transparent perforated panel 6. Perforations 14 may be of any shape.

As shown by FIG. 3, the mask body 4 and the perforated panel 6 bear indicia 18, such as an image of an athlete or of a politician. The indicia 18 are visible to a person other than the wearer. The greater the density of perforations 14 (that is, the more perforations 14 per unit area of the perforated panel 6), the better will be the wearer's view through the perforations 14 and the better will be the ventilation to the wearer. However, the greater the density of perforations 14, the poorer will the perforated panel 6 support the indicia 18. The designer therefore must balance the need for adequate visibility for the wearer through the perforated panel 6 with the need for persons other than the wearer to see the indicia 18.

As used in this application, the term “perforation ratio” means the ratio of a unit area of the perforated panel in the region of maximum perforation density as a denominator and the total of the perforation areas falling within that unit area as a numerator. Consider a one square inch unit area of the perforated panel 6, shown by FIG. 2, taken from the region of maximum perforation density 20, shown by FIG. 1. If the perforation areas 16 appearing within the one square inch sample are totaled, the total of the perforation areas 16 should fall between 0.197 square inches and 0.7 square inches, inclusive, rendering a perforation ratio ranging between 0.197 and 0.7. A perforation ratio less than 0.197 results in impaired vision on the part of the wearer coupled with poor ventilation. A perforation ratio greater than 0.7 results in a perforated panel 6 that is mechanically weak and subject to damage.

FIG. 4 illustrates the effect of lighting on the mask apparatus 2. In FIG. 4, a portion of the mask body 4 and perforated panel 6 are shown in cross section. The mask body 4 supports the perforated panel 6 before the eye 8 of the wearer. The wearer is located in an interior volume 21 defined by the mask body 4 and perforated panel 6. Light 22, shown by dashed lines on FIG. 4, emanates from a light source 24 and illuminates an object 26. Light 22 reflected by illuminated object 26 and travels through the perforations 14 in perforated panel 6 to the eye 8 of the wearer, allowing wearer to see the object 26.

Perforated panel 6 has an inside surface 28 and an outside surface 30. The ability of the wearer to see the object 26 through the perforated panel is greatly enhanced if the brightness of the object 26 as perceived by the wearer is greater than the brightness of the inside surface 28 of the perforated panel 6 as perceived by the wearer.

Also as shown by FIG. 4, light 22 from light source 24 is reflected by outside surface 30 of perforated panel 6. The light 22 reflected by the perforated panel 6 is received by the eye 32 of a person other than the wearer. The person other than the wearer therefore can perceive the indicia 18 printed on the outside surface 30 of perforated panel 6 and on the mask body 4. The ability of the person other than the wearer to perceive the indicia 18 is greatly enhanced if the brightness of the outside surface 30 of the perforated panel as perceived by the eye 32 of the person who is not the wearer is greater than the brightness of light reflected from face of the wearer inside the mask 2.

Stated in other terms, if a light source 24 is located inside the mask 2 and illuminates the wearer's face so that the wearer's face is brighter than the outside surface 30 of the perforated panel 6, the person who is not the wearer will see the wearer's face through the mask 2 and will not perceive the indicia 18 printed on the perforated panel 6. If the light source 24 illuminates the outside surface 30 of the perforated panel 6 while the wearer's face is in relative darkness, the person other than the wearer will see the indicia 18 printed on the perforated panel 6 and will not see the wearer's face.

The mask 2 of the Invention achieves relative darkness of the wearer's face by covering the entire head of the wearer. The paper or other material from which the mask body 4 and perforated panel 2 are constructed should be adequately opaque to restrict illumination of the wearer's face. The effect may be further enhanced by printing a dark color on the perforated panel 6 or the mask body 4.

The mask body 4 may be composed of any material that is sufficiently thin, flexible and opaque to be formed into the bag shape, to be worn comfortably, to block sufficient light to darken the face of the wearer, to not pose a suffocation hazard, and to support printing. Suitable materials for the mask body include paper, plastic, Tyvec™, and knitted, woven or felt fabric. The perforated panel may be composed of any material that will support a clean perforation within the specified size range and perforation ratio and that is adequately thin, flexible and opaque. Suitable materials for the perforated panel include paper, Tyvec™, plastic, and metal sheet or foil.

FIG. 5 illustrates construction of the mask body 4 and perforated panel 6. The mask 2 of the Invention is preferably constructed from a unitary piece of paper 34 from a web of paper using high-speed machinery. FIG. 5 illustrates a unitary piece of paper 34 especially configured for the mask 2 of the Invention. The perforations 14 are cut, punched or burned through the unitary piece of paper 34 to form the perforated panel 6 and side panels 10. Conventional printing methods are used to impart indicia 18 to the mask body 4 and perforated panel 6. High speed machinery folds the mask 2 along fold lines shown by dashed and double dashed lines 36 on FIG. 5. The unitary piece of paper 34 is glued, forming mask 2. When completed, the mask 2 may be folded flat for storage, transportation or display.

FIG. 6 illustrates that the perforated panel 6 and side panels 10 may be formed in any shape, in this case a heart.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the Invention. Mask 2 comprises yarns woven into a fabric 38. The fabric 38 is formed into a bag sized to fit over the head of a wearer. The fabric 38 and density of the weave are chosen so that the wearer of mask 2 may see through the fabric 38. The same light considerations discussed above relating to FIG. 4 apply to this second embodiment; namely, the wearer will be able to see objects through the mask 2 if the inside of the mask 2 is in darkness while the object to be seen 26 is brighter lit than the inside surface 28 of the mask 2. Persons other than the wearer will see indicia 18 if the outside surface 30 of the mask 2 is brighter lit than the face of the wearer and if the weave of fabric 38 is adequately dense to support indicia 18. The alternative embodiment achieves the result of relative darkness of the wearer's face by covering the entire head of the wearer with mask 2 and by selecting a fabric 38 that is adequately opaque to exclude most light 22. The woven fabric 38 of this alternative embodiment may appear as a separate woven panel in a mask body 4; alternatively, the entire mask body 4 and woven panel may be composed of a single piece of the woven fabric 38.

FIGS. 9-14 illustrate the effectiveness of perforation area and perforation ratio on the function of the mask 2 of the invention. For FIG. 9, each perforation 14 is a square 0.035 inches on a side. Each square perforation 14 is separated from each other perforation by 0.015 inches. The perforation ratio is 0.49 and the area 16 of each perforation 14 is 0.00123 square inches. For this perforation ratio and perforation area 16, the indicia 18 printed on the perforated panel 6 are readily discernable with good resolution. The mask 2 of FIG. 9 also provides good visibility for the wearer.

FIG. 10 illustrates square perforations 14 that are 0.069 inches on a side. The distance between adjacent square perforations 14 is 0.030 inches. The perforation ratio is 0.49 and the area of each perforation is 0.00476 square inches. The indicia 18 printed on the perforated panel 6 lose some resolution over the example shown by FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 illustrates a rectangular perforation 14 of 0.36 inches by 0.072 inches. Each perforation 14 has an area 16 of 0.00259 square inches and is separated from each adjacent perforation 14 by 0.030 inches. The perforated panel 6 has a perforation ratio of 0.398. The indicia 18 are readily discernable with good resolution. The wearer is provided with good visibility through the perforated panel 6.

FIG. 12 illustrates a rectangular perforation 14 of 0.072 inches by 0.144 inches. The distance between each adjacent perforation 14 is 0.060 inches. The area 16 of each perforation 14 is 0.0104 square inches and the perforation ratio is 0.415. The perforations 14 restrict the resolution with which the indicia 18 may be viewed at this perforation area 16.

FIG. 13 illustrates rectangular perforations 14 of 0.144 inches by 0.288 inches. Each perforation 14 is separated from each adjacent perforation 14 by 0.120 inches. The area 16 of each perforation 14 is 0.042 square inches and the perforation ratio is 0.438. At this perforation area 16, the resolution of the indicia 18 is significantly impaired compared with the perforations 14 having smaller area 16. The perforation area 16 of 0.042 square inches is considered the maximum usable perforation area 16.

FIG. 14 illustrates circular perforations 14 having a diameter of ⅛ inch and distributed centers separated by ¼ inch. The area 16 of each perforation 14 is 0.0123 square inches and the perforation ratio is 0.197. At this perforation ratio, the vision of the wearer is impaired and ventilation is affected adversely. The perforation ratio of 0.197 is considered the minimum usable perforation ratio.

As shown by FIGS. 9-14, the size of each perforation 14 in the perforated panel 6 should be less than or equal to 0.042 square inches. Perforations 14 greater than this size disturb the resolution of the indicia 18 and render the indicia 18 difficult to see by a person other than the wearer. Perforations 14 greater than this size also inhibit the vision of the wearer.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate an alternative embodiment in which the sides and back of the mask are composed of perforated panels 6. Such a construction promotes ventilation for the wearer and also allows the mask to be reversible. Different indicia 18 may be imprinted on the sides and back to allow the wearer to display the indicia printed on the front of the mask or to alternatively display the indicia appearing on the side or back of the mask.

FIG. 17 illustrates construction of the mask of the Invention from a unitary piece of paper 34 adapted to be produced on machinery used to create conventional paper bags, with the addition of cutouts on the sides of the mask 2 to receive the shoulders of the wearer. The mask of FIG. 18 has the advantage or ready manufacture and economy of materials, but has the disadvantage of a rectangular cross section. The mask of FIG. 5 provides a mask that is square in cross section but that is more difficult to manufacture and that creates some paper waste during the manufacturing process.

In describing the above embodiments of the invention, specific terminology was selected for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 

1. A mask apparatus, the mask apparatus comprising: a. a perforated panel, said perforated panel having a length, a width and a thickness, said thickness of said perforated panel being small compared to said length and said width, said perforated panel having a multiplicity of perforations cut, punched, burned or formed therethrough; b. a mask body, said mask body attached to said perforated panel, said mask body being adapted to engage a body of a wearer, said mask body being further adapted to support said perforated panel before an eye of said wearer.
 2. The mask apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said perforations in said multiplicity of said perforations has a perforation area, said perforated panel has a region of maximum perforation density, said region of maximum perforation density having a perforation ratio, said perforation ratio being a ratio of a unit area of said perforated panel as a denominator and a sum of said perforation areas that appear within said unit area of said perforated panel as a numerator, said perforation ratio for said region of maximum perforation density being equal to or greater than 0.197 when said unit area is one half of a square inch.
 3. The mask apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said perforations in said multiplicity of perforations has a perforation area, said perforation area of each of said perforations being less than or equal to 0.042 square inches.
 4. The mask apparatus of claim 3 wherein said perforation ratio for said region of maximum perforation density is less than 0.7 when said unit area is one half of a square inch.
 5. The mask apparatus of claim 3 wherein said mask defines an interior volume, said mask body and said perforated panel being composed of a material that is sufficiently opaque to substantially shade a face of said wearer from a light source located outside of said interior volume.
 6. The mask apparatus of claim 5 wherein said material composing said mask body and said perforated panel is a paper.
 7. The mask apparatus of claim 6 wherein said material composing said mask body and said perforated panel is a single piece of said paper.
 8. The mask apparatus of claim 7 wherein said mask body is adapted to cover a head of said wearer.
 9. The mask apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: indicia, said indicia appearing on said perforated panel and on said mask body.
 10. The mask apparatus of claim 9 wherein said indicia comprise: a likeness of a person.
 11. The mask apparatus of claim 9 wherein said mask body and said perforated panel are foldable to a substantially flat condition.
 12. The mask of claim 1 wherein each of said perforations in said multiplicity of said perforations has a perforation area, said perforated panel has a region of maximum perforation density, said region of maximum perforation density having a perforation ratio, said perforation ratio being a ratio of a unit area of said perforated panel as a denominator and a sum of said perforation areas that appear within said unit area of said perforated panel as a numerator, further comprising: a. said perforation area of each of said perforations and said perforation ratio are selected to render said perforated panel substantially optically transparent to said wearer when an object viewed by said wearer through said perforated panel is more brightly lit than an interior surface of said perforated panel; b. said perforation area of each of said perforations and said perforation ratio are selected to render said perforated panel substantially optically opaque to a person other than said wearer when an outside surface of said perforated panel is more brightly lit than a head of said wearer.
 13. The mask of claim 12 wherein said perforated panel and said mask body are composed of a paper, wherein said mask body is adapted to cover an entire head of said wearer, and wherein said mask body supports said perforated panel before an eye of said wearer.
 14. The mask of claim 13, further comprising: indicia appearing on said perforated panel.
 15. The mask of claim 12 wherein said perforated panel is composed of one of a paper, a plastic and a metal.
 16. A mask apparatus, the mask apparatus comprising: a. a bag, said bag being composed of a yarn, said yarn being woven into a fabric, said fabric being assembled into said bag, said bag being adapted to cover a head of a wearer; b. said fabric having an outside surface, said fabric being selected so that said outside surface of said fabric will bear an imprinting of indicia and so that said imprinting of said indicia will be visible to a person other than said wearer when said outside surface of said fabric is more brightly lit than said head of said wearer; c. said fabric having an inside surface, said fabric being selected so that said wearer may see through said fabric when an object to be observed by said wearer is more brightly lit than said inside surface of said fabric.
 17. The mask apparatus of claim 16 wherein said indicia comprises: a likeness of an individual.
 18. A mask apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a. a perforated panel, said perforated panel being composed of a fabric, said fabric being a woven textile; b. a mask body, said mask body being composed of a paper, said mask body being attached to said perforated panel, said mask body and said perforated panel in combination being in the shape of a bag, said mask body and said perforated panel in combination being adapted to engage a body of a wearer and to cover an entire head of said wearer, said mask body being further adapted to support said perforated panel before an eye of said wearer, said fabric having an outside surface; e. indicia imprinted on said outside surface, said fabric being selected so that said outside surface of said fabric will bear an imprinting of said indicia and so that said imprinting of said indicia will be visible to a person other than said wearer when said outside surface of said fabric is more brightly lit than said head of said wearer, said fabric having an inside surface, said fabric being selected so that said wearer may see through said fabric when an object to be observed by said wearer is more brightly lit than said inside surface of said fabric. 